“Despite concerns over COVID-19 outbreaks related to manufacturing and warehouses, those sectors would remain open” – once again, we’re failing to plug the hole

Ever since the start of the second wave, the majority of cases have been in deprived areas of Toronto and Peel, most probably contracted at work. And “work” for these areas are often industrial workplaces.In the 16 Toronto neighbourhoods hardest hit by COVID, between 11 and 25% of residents work in manufacturing; by comparison, the city average is 8%. The manufacturing sector is heavily reliant on lower-income workers and temp agency workers, many of whom live in the city’s northwest.Peel’s robust manufacturing and industrial sector, which is largely centred in Brampton, has accounted for 39.7% of the 204 total workplace outbreaks in the region since the start of the pandemic. The next closest sector is retail, which accounts for 13.7% of workplace outbreaks.And let’s not forget how just one Amazon warehouse had 600 cases and one Canada Post facility had 273 cases in just the month of January.I’m tired of all the whining about picnics at the park or people’s weekend parties, and I’m especially tired of Doug Ford and Dr. Williams instituting policies gutting small businesses while giving zero support to factory/essential workers, like paid sick leave, or even expedited vaccine spots.If you’re not talking about the role of manufacturing in Ontario’s covid cases, then you’re not talking about the truth. via /r/toronto https://ift.tt/3uguFMb